Day 3

Another bright sunny day - the weather has been amzingly kind to us. After breakfast (with porridge, even a bit liquidy) headed up round a village and up to the pass. During the trip, got on one of the 4 spare horses. These were available to people struggling with the climb. One was available during a break, so I tried riding out. The horse was willing to climb up steep incllines with such a heavy weight (me).

Day 2 to sacred lake

Woke up overnight and saw the stars - sky clear and so many stars it was difficult to pick out Orion and the Pleiades.

Breakfast (all prepared by the porters) and off by 8.30am - up to Cuncani pass. It was sunny and the views got more and more amazing as we ascended.

This is a picture of me with walking stick and felt hat, listening to ipod - Kip Mazuy - etheral music, just right for the mountains.

At the pass we could see both valleys, the views were just stunning. We all rested until the all the group was there and then sang a few group songs such as:

"When I arise, let me rise, as a bird, joyfully.

when I fall, let me fall, as a leaf, gracefully, without regrets."

Lucinda sang a beautiful song "Peace is when the earth smiles".

Then we started up again after a short rest. Down the next valley to a lake. People were struggling with energy, but I did not seem to be effected, just kept going. Behind us, we could see the mountian range open up , suddenly the clouds cleared and we could see the three peaks - "Beautiful, beautiful, God you are so beautiful". (this was a song we regularly sang which just sums up the majesty and beauty of the mountains). Unfortunatley the photos dont realy capture the serenity, magnificence and awesome nature of the views.

Then the mist came in, and the mountains disappeared. Around a corner and we were a short walk from the tents which had been pitched near a lake.

A truly amazing day - one which will be in my memory for a long time.

Start of trek

Spent the morning organising the gear - day pack in a small back pack and overnight stuff in a rice sack which would be transported to the camp site by horse.





We took a bus to Calca for lunch and then a 1 hour drive along a winding unmade road to a junction where we started the trek with a short walk up to Quishanrsani. The tents had been set up on what looked like the school playground. Overnight it was cold.

Quiet day

Picture of Peggy and her husband, Steven

At 8am just after breakfast, Peggy lead a meditation on focussing our intent for the trek to Machu Picchu. This was at the same time that Donna Bernadina would be burning the despacho offering from yesterday. Burning the offering energies the intents and blessings with fire. The other despacho offering would be buried to give it a long life.

Then at 10am we had a short meeting to discuss the trek and what it would be like and what we needed to take. Spent most of the afternoon buying stuff - rain ponco, water bottle,bandana, rent a sleeping bag - it can get down to freezing point and below during the night up on the mountains, but warm and sunny during the day - so need a mixture of clothing and gear.

After the descriptions from previous treks and the energy of the group, feel really up for it. The first day will be 2 hours trekking, next day 4 hours, then the big one - 8 hours solid. The trek route is not the tourist one called the Inca trail, but a little used one called the Lares route. We may be the only ones using the route.

Tipon on the 9th of the 9th 2009

This was an amazing day with two ceremonies - one at Tipon and one back at the hotel in Cusco. The day is very auspcious as it is the 9th day of the 9th month in 2009. ie 9 9 9.


This is a picture of our Shaman guide Adriel, at the place where we performed the water ceremony as a purification before performing the dispacho ceremony. He is holding a bag of coca leaves. You chew them like tobacco to aid in altitude sickness. But also they are used in the ceremonies.




Here is a photo of Adriel and I - note the new felt hat (6 pounds) so that I look the part!









Despacho ceremony
After completing the purification, we were ready to receive the blessing for health, finances and relationships. Lots of different offerings were made and assembled by the two queros. We placed our three coca leaves individually into the offering. Then the offering was bound and each one of us was blessed with it.

Here is a link which explains the ceremony in more detail





It turned out that the two queros, Victor and Pedro lived in a remote part of peru and had had to walk 12 hours to get a bus and then a 5 hour bus journey to Cusco to be with us to conduct the ceremony.


Finally on the evening a female Shaman, Donna Bernadina, conducted another blessing with an intensity that was really powerful.

Sexy Woman

After an easy first day, we made our first trip out - to a place called Sacsayhuaman - which is pronounced sexy woman - but means in the local language (Quechua) satisfied kestrel.

The stone work is truly amazing.

(in the morning woke up early and decided to journey - went to inner or lower world and was given the answer to a few problems that I was facing - all the pieces of the jigsaw seemed to fit into place - this alone was worth the trip!)

Cusco

Next morning after a good nights sleep, headed to the airport to catch the internal flight to Cusco.

Cusco was the capital in the days of the Inca, but was moved to Lima shortly after the Spanish conquered the Incas in 1532. Pisarro with 180 men defeated the huge empire of the Incas. I am reading up on the history.

Cusco is at 10,200 ft and the plan is to spend a few days at this altitude to acclimatise.

Meet up with group - 34 of us!

Here is a photo of me with Alistair (who I had met at lendrick on the firewalk course

Notice my new sweater - there are hundreds of shops in Cusco selling lovely alpaca clothes at very cheap prices.